Former event planner Nicole Riley lost not only her job, but part of her humanity when a concert in L.A., fails catastrophically and the band attacks a rival werewolf pack. Now Nicky keeps her "inner beast" subdued by taking wolfs bane and refuses to become a monster. She's trying to rebuild her reputation and manages the Bitter Black nightclub where Brody Dunn is the dee-jay. Brody Dunn, a former special crimes detective turned private investigator, plays on Nicole's sympathy by claiming to have just suffered a wolf bite. He keeps his past, careers, agenda and just about everything else from Nicole - except for his attraction. They have bigger problems than Brody's lies. Nicole's boss is a ruthless drug lord, determined to have Nicole for himself. The danger increases for everyone when he challenges the local Alpha. If they survive, and she can forgive Brody's betrayal, will she accept what they've become?
Michelle's visions continuously take shape as she brings life to the worlds she has imagined since childhood. The wild imaginings that often got Michelle out of, or more often into, trouble as a young girl have informed and enriched her storytelling as an adult, bringing a fresh new voice to the paranormal romance genre.
AWESOME.... Kick Ass!!! I couldn't stop reading!!!! The author did a fantastic job writing I enjoyed the story it's full of action, suspense, twists and turns, and just the right amount of romance! I enjoyed the chemistry between Nicky and Brody they're great together! It's a gripping story that will have you on the edge of your seat and you have devoured it and you want a lot more!
Former event planner Nicole Riley was living in a world where the lycan virus struck twice. The second outbreak rocked the nation a few years after the first one and the government couldn’t contain it. It was almost impossible to tell how many died or how many were carriers.
The virus was blood borne, transferable via saliva, blood, or semen. If it didn’t kill the unfortunate, it altered them. Sometimes it was unnoticeable to normal people, like increased sight or hearing. Others who were more affected by the virus would be transformed entirely. They grew fur and became animalistic. Nicole knew what could happen from a bite; her boyfriend, Aaron, terrorized her for two years and gave her the virus. And she was taking Wolfsbane trying to control the beast.
She started to work six months ago for Sean Stone, running one of his nightclubs named The Wolf’s Den; he was a Lycan and he wanted her. However, Nicole wanted the newest DJ, Brody Dunn.
He was the best cop on the force, in only a year he became detective. The jealousy and rumors had hurt his reputation and when they discovered that he was a lycan, they did all they could to ruin his career. And they succeeded; he was kicked off the force.
And now he was trying to find proof that Stone killed several people and was dealing Beast, BST, a drug that drives normal people crazy while it’s in their system, it makes them believe they’re a wolf. It’s also suppose to enable Lycans to shift faster, with less difficulty or pain, but it doesn't always work and it’s illegal.
It was a wonderful read and I really enjoyed it. It has suspense, action, passion, and love. All the scenes were written in such a way that we feel connected with the characters at every step. The story unwraps bit by bit and doesn’t give us a chance to rest. And it's a large book so the story isn't rushed; letting us enjoy it all until the end. I've added Ms. Michelle Clay to my growing list of favorite writers and I rate the book 5 stars.
Nicole is a werewolf that is trying to help run a club while putting her past behind her and trying to ignore her werewolf tendencies. What she wasn't expecting was to fall in the middle of what could make or break her as a person and werewolf. One person that could help her though, Brody, she pushes away because he's the DJ at Bitter Black and employees aren't suppose to date. But she can only hold off from the sexy male for so long. The other person that could make or break her is her boss Sean Stone, a person she knows she should stay away from for all that is good. Nicole is pushed and pulled in so many directions in this story your not quite sure how it will go down.
If you want a unique and HOT book about werewolves this is your book! Bitter Black Kiss is something different to add to the paranormal book world of werewolves. I was pulled in immediately and was taken on a hot and spicy ride in the werewolf world. I loved Brody! He is the kind of guy that would protect at all cost and do what is right. And Nicole is a woman that some could relate to in a way. Them being together was a perfect match.
I love the twist in this story also. It kept you guessing on what would happen next and that is always exciting. Clay had wonderful characters also and Bitter Black Kiss was a picture perfect book playing in your mind. The one thing that could have been a bit better for me was at the beginning of some chapter you were a bit lost until it got back into the grove of things. It wasn't a big killer but it would have made it a bit clearer. Over all though this was a excellent book and a must read for fellow Werewolf lovers.
Nicole Riley does not accept her curse of being a werewolf. She is merely trying to get by and mask the effects as much as possible. That is the great thing about this book, Michelle Clay has created a world where there are drugs that not only help you lessen the werewolf effects, but also help you embrace them.
Brody Dunn was forced out of his job as a detective upon the revelation that he was a werewolf. He knows the owner of Bitter Black, a local nightclub, has something to do with the distribution of the werewolf drugs and he is determined to pin him for it.
This story line is fast paced and flows effortlessly. I was sucked in from the beginning and finished it in one sitting. The attraction between Nicole and Brody was undeniable.
If you are looking for a hero that will steal your heart, a steamy romance, action, suspense, and twists that will keep you guessing, this is the book for you!
What a great addition to the Paranormal Romance genre. Michelle Clay has written a fast paced and action packed book.
Unfortunately, “Bitter Black Kiss” failed to live up to other books in the paranormal romance genre I've read. There is not enough back story to show why the characters are the way they are.
Clay shows a knack for writing excellent confrontational scenes between characters, however the lack of any sort of empathy to the characters or an engaging plotline means I wouldn’t out this author on my 'Must Read Pile'. If she manages to master these aspects, I'd maybe consider picking up another one of her books.
I didn't know quite what to expect when I purchased this book because I usually don't read werewolf stories (vampires are more my thing!). But the title and the book blurb drew me in right away and I thought it might not be your typical werewolf story. I was pleasantly surprised!!
Right away, Bitter Black Kiss, throws the reader into the action and danger. As a reader, I was drawn into the story and felt as though I was actually there. Even the secondary characters and sub-plots were well written, strong and interesting. Bitter Black Kiss is definitely a must read if you like paranormal romance with a bit of violence or urban fantasy with romantic elements.
Bitter Black Kiss sucked me in by its awesome cover. I adore the hot pants and the red. So freakin' cute. Well, the book satisfied every expectation that I had.
Werewolves have been done a gazillion times, but Clay has found her own place in the world with this paranormal monster. I adored it. The heroine is strong, but also vulnerable and sometimes, even a little gullible. I love it. Very human.
The hero in this story stole the show for me. I wanted much much more of him. So, please Ms. Clay, if there's a sequel, hurry it up. :) Very much recommend this read.
Love Ms. Clay's take on Werewolves, how they are a real part of life in this story. Her world building is great in that we understand the hierarchy of the Lycanthropes and their rules. Felt for the Brody, the hero who must fight against a multitude of enemies, yet continues to. The characters go from one scene to another with fast paced and emotional twists that keep the reader flipping the pages. Loved it!
This was an amazing, suspense-filled story. I loved how the author throws you into the Lycean world, which wasn't my idea of a typical Lycean story. Clay had a unique take on the paranormal, I really appreciated. It was fresh and had great characters and voice. And I found myself surprised by the plot twists again and again. I din't want to put the book down, it held me. I recommend this book, as I'd definitely read it again.
This book has it all! Dark paranormal werewolf story, sexy romantic tension, murder, mystery, crime, drugs! There's something here for adult paranormal romance readers to enjoy as well as mystery readers!
Good characters, complex female lead, developed and hawt romantic interest. There's also danger, dark gory scenes, and lots of intrigue and action to keep you turning the page.
This was the first book I've read by Michelle Clay, but it won't be the last!
I've read plenty of novels by Michelle Clay, and she never seems to disappoint me. She has a unique writing style that simply draws you into the center of the story and keeps you wanting more. Bitter Black Kiss is no different. With strong romantic elements and enough mystery and suspense to keep you turning the page, Bitter Black Kiss is a must read!
I was immediately drawn into the heroine's storyline. I love that the author not only gave her every day problems like jerk ex-boyfriends, handsy bosses and a hot love interest, but also had her struggle with accepting lycanthropy. I think Ms. Clay did a superb job with the action scenes and kept them intense and interesting. I definitely hope this becomes a series~
I really liked this book. I generally read horror, but my daughter had just finished this novel and suggested that I'd like it. The writer did a good job with the action and fight scenes, very vivid and realistic. The love scenes were just right, not too much or too little, just the right amount of steamy. I would definitely recommend this one to other werewolf book lovers. ~ Melly
Wow. What an adventure. There were twists and turns I hadn't expected. Some I did, but they were still great. Nice story. And Brody...I like me some Brody. This was a fast read and I really enjoyed the characters!
Loved this book - could not put it down! Excellent detail and the right amount of mystery and romance! Hoping for a sequel!!! Would love a Molly book as well.
Michelle Clay's approach to werewolves in Bitter Black Kiss is different and adds a little something extra to the genre. Lycanthropy is public knowledge and is somewhat viewed as a disease which in turn means there are "treatments". This is the main driving force of the plot line and creates some very unique and tricky situations. I enjoyed the overall concept of this book. However, there are also a few downsides to this indie publication such as a lack of character background information and the narration is so-so. I wasn't bowled over by this novel but I did enjoy Clay's werewolves.
Two drugs have been created as the result of lycanthropy being mainstream: one that suppresses the symptoms and one that forces them to manifest. I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel because it made the story unpredictable. It was hard to judge who was using what and when they were under the influence. I did a lot of speculating throughout the story which helped to keep things interesting. The part that stood out the most for me are the chapters covering The Wild Hunt. Werewolf pack members gather once a year to celebrate their furriness. This is the night where alpha battles are fought and new mates bond. Here Michelle's writing transforms into something fierce, brutal and fast. It was all-out chaos and I loved every second of it!
I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters in this novel. As I mentioned, readers are given very little background information which makes it difficult to understand why they are the way they are. I found that Nicole was very naive. I don't think that I'm giving any key points away by saying that her boss is a jerk and a drug dealer. I picked-up on his sketchiness from the get-go; why it took Nikki almost the whole book to figure it out is beyond me. Then there's Brody who comes off as all brawn and no brain; considering he's an ex-cop this surprised me. He never looks before he leaps, instead he just dives head first into a situation without even thinking about the consequences. I tried to understand Nicole and Brody, I really did but their behaviour dumbfounded me.
This book has potential, it really does; if only Michelle had spent as much time developing her characters as she did her universe. I enjoyed all of the werewolf parts of the story but all of the human ones fell short. Bitter Black Kiss adds a few new twists to werewolf lore but unless you're a hardcore wolf shifter fanatic this book's probably not for you.
Reviewed by Indera Book provided by the publisher for review Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Nicole Riley is working hard to repair her reputation and get ahead in her career as manager at the nightclub Bitter Black. She tries to remain focused on her career and ignores her attraction to the smooth DJ Brody Dunn. Along with denying her attraction to the sexy DJ she struggles to keep her inner wolf under wraps. She wants no part of this monster wolf inside of her and takes the drug “wolfbane” which assists her by keeping her she-wolf suppressed. Along with her wolf struggles she soon realizes that her boss Sean Stone wants more than just a professional relationship. Nicole also has to deal with her ex Aaron James; he is stalking her and is the same ex that inflicted the life changing bite upon her.
Nicole finds herself in the middle of a mess when a dancer never shows up for an interview and ends up murdered. She soon realizes that there is much more to the hot Brody and her very handsome boss Sean. She is thrown into the investigation of the murdered dancer and realizes that eye candy Brody has not been honest with her. She feels betrayed and runs to the arms of Sean. With danger all around Nicole has to decide who she trusts and she has to come to terms with her inner beast.
I absolutely love an exciting paranormal romance full of hot romance and werewolves (or any kind of shape-shifter). I enjoyed this book but felt it fell a little short. I felt there was not enough of a back story and the characters did not seem developed enough. (I normally fall in love with most of the characters in a book- in this book I did not.) When I read the description of the book I expected to learn more about the catastrophe that caused the main character Nicole to lose her job and change her life forever but there were just a few mentions of the event. I feel the story line could have been great. I loved the idea of a drug created to suppress wolves and alter the shape shifting process.
I did love the chemistry between Brody and Nicole and the twists in the story. The love scenes were well written but there were also several typographical and punctuation errors that made the book hard to read. The story just ended abruptly which can be OK but in this case there was no lead up to another book. I was left with many unanswered questions.
I did enjoy the book but will probably not read it again or put it on a “Must Read” list. I do give kudos to Michelle Clay for her unique story line that is normally not found in other paranormal romances- or at least the ones I have read.
Bitter Black Kiss by Michelle Clay I'm completely torn by this book. On the one hand, I really liked the concept for the storyline, but the narrative was so very fragment and disjointed that it was very difficult to read. Nicole Riley, a reluctant werewolf, is just that! She has an issue with her ex, and then meets a new hunk of a man, who also happens to be a werewolf. Obviously, it goes a little deeper than that, but on surface level, it's a story about a woman becoming comfortable with her animal nature and allowing herself to trust a man again. What I liked about this novel was that it wasn't a typical paranormal romance. The storyline rotates around murder and drug crime, so it had investigative intrigue in it; I liked this; however, what the novel achieved in originality, it lacked in flow, character background and much to my frustration was saturated with word omissions and punctuation errors. There were however several points in the book that captured my interest. There were numerous scenes that were creative and well written. At these points, I became relieved; I really wanted to love this book, but alas, after a chapter of gripping, well crafted narrative, I would then feel a little let down by confusing plot developments, as well as conflicting and sometimes frustrating character interactions. There was also very little back story to the characters. There was some included, yet it almost felt rushed and thrown together. Again, this frustrated me, as there were times that I really like the characters, and wanted to cheer for them and follow their progress, but I would then immediately become bamboozled by the lack of progression and development. I did however managed to reach the end; the last few chapters picked up a little making it much easier to complete. Now, this is where I struggle with a star rating. It's going to have to be 2 1/2 stars. It was okay, with bits of I liked thrown in! - Becky
This Urban Fantasy was a very enjoyable read. I was immediately pulled into the story, and I thought Nicky was a likable heroine. There was plenty of action and some very spicy romance. Brody is mysterious and I ended up really loving his character, too. I loved the way in which the novel flowed. The writing is succinct, but descriptive enough I had no problem seeing the scenes in my head as I read. I liked the pacing of the story. It was fast enough that I never felt my reading bog down. I read this book quickly because I became invested in the characters and was anxious to find out what would happen next. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I got this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.
A Great Paranormal Read I really enjoyed this book. The author has taken a story told time and time again about werewolves and made it fresh and unique. I was drawn right into the story and didn't want to put it down, its a very fast paced read. The story is full of action, danger, twists, romance, intrigue, and suspense, I just needed to keep turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I liked the characters read, I love me some sexy alpha weres :) I would have liked to know more about them, more back story but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the read. I am hoping that there will be a sequel and look forward to reading more from this author whether it is a sequel to this book or not. I was given a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
A great story that sucked me right in from the very beginning. I had a very difficult time putting it down! I read very little para-normal books, but this one has me changing my mind-I need to read more. This book had everything...action, romance, a heroine who is strong yet vulnerable to her circumstances & a hero who has been through hell & back but still remains a good guy! I would highly recommend picking up Bitter Black Kiss!
. Nicole has taken a drastic turn after being exposed to the Lycan virus. She takes wolfsbane to help control it. She is attracted to Brody as soon as she meets him but she doesn't trust easily. Brody is lying to her and now she doesn't know who to trust. A new take on werewolves. A new story of intrigue and super natural. Nicole is a strong character and Brody us too. I absolutely adore Nicole's best friend. If your looking for a werewolf book with more this is the book for you
So you have a story that was good, full of intrigue, bad cops, bad guys and Nicole, a reluctant werewolf thrown into the middle. The book wasn't bad, it did hold my interest but I think Brody and Nicole could've been fleshed out some more. I wanted the whole thing from when they first met to a detailed background and I only got surface.
I really enjoyed this novel about werewolves involved with drugs, crime and strippers. It was full of murder and mystery, not to mention hot romance. I like the world that Michelle built around the romantic elements and the would love to see this become a series.